Portable tape applicator



March 21, 1967 D w, HARTLEY ET AL 3,310,452

PORTABLE TAPE APPLICATOR Filed June 1, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet l w n3 3 3 73 N m 3 mm mm L: 5 m m INVENTORS DAN/EL W. HAR TLEY JOHN E. DA Y, 5R.

ATTORNEY March 1967 D. w. HARTLEY ET AL 3,310,452

PORTABLE TAPE APPLICATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 1, 1964 INVENTORSDAN/EL W. HARTLEY JOHN E. DAY SR.

ATTORNEY 3,310,452 PORTABLE TAPE APPLICATOR Daniel W. Hartley, 3G4Mosstree Road, and John E. Day, S1'., 400 Arant St., both of NorthCharleston, $.61. 29406 Filed .Iune 1, 1964, fier. No. 374,556 9 Claims.(Cl. 6-523) This invention relates to an improved portable apparatus fordispensing pressure sensitive tape from a hollow cylindrical tape supplyroll and for directly applying the tape upon a fixed surface.

Various types of portable tape applicators have been proposed in theprior art for dispensing pressure sensitive tape and for applying thesame to a fixed surface. In general the known devices are bulkygin sizeand heavy in weight and do not readily lend themselves to certainapplications wherein the tape must be accurately applied to relativelyinaccessible surfaces orto surfaces of unusual contour or configuration.For example, in the masking of chrome trim strips prior to the paintingof an automobile, the known devices do not readily permit theapplication of tape to the lower portions of the vehide, or to surfacesof unusual contour (for example, the chrome trim strips around thewindshield or the doors).

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an improvedportable tape applicator of inexpensive, light-weight durableconstruction that affords extremely rapid, accurate application of thetape to various types of fixed surfaces.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a tape applicatorincluding a frame having a handle at one end and a pair of parallel,horizontal, longitudinallyspaced transverse outer rollers at the otherend. Means are provided for continuously maintaining the outer peripheryof a hollow cylindrical tape supply roll in vertically supportedengagement with the rollers, whereby the free end of the tape is guidedback upon the lower surfaces of the rollers and is pressed thereby ontothe work. In accordance with an important feature of the invention, therollers are provided with annular flanges spaced from the frame adistance equal to the width of the tape, whereby the tape is accuratelyguided on the rollers during application to the work. The flangesfurther serve to prevent axial displacement of the supply roll relativeto the frame, and also to engage the edge of the work for guiding of theapplicator during the tape applying operation.

According to another object of the invention, the tape supply roll iscontinuously maintained in engagement with the pair of longitudinallyspaced outer rollers by a'downwardly-biased vertically-movableadditional roller that engages the inner periphery of the supply roll.Means including a longitudinally-arranged U-shaped support rigidlyconnected with the handle frame and a longitudinally extendinghorizontal rod associated with the inner roller serve to positivelymaintain said inner roller parallel with the outer rollers as thethickness of the supply roll decreases during dispensing of the tapethereform.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a portable tapeapplicator of the type described above including horizontally pivotablecutter means having a knife edge that is displacable from a sheathed,retracted position remote from the outer rollers to a severing positionadjacent, generally parallel with and directed away from that outerroller which is nearest the handle. Consequently, during application ofthe tape to a fixed surface, the to-ol is easily manipulated to form aloop in the tape into which the knife edge is inserted, whereupon sharpdisplacement of the tool in the tape applying direction causessevering-With a minimum amount of wasteof a United States Patent O3,316,452 Patented Mar. 21, 1967 length of tape that has been applied tothe work from the supply roll.

As indicated above, the applicator of the present invention isparticularly suitable for applying pressure sensitive masking tape tothe chrome trim strips of automobiles prior to the painting thereof. Asa result of experimental testing, the tool of the present invention hasproven to be extremely eflicient in operation, and owing to theportability of the applicator, the flange means for accurately guidingthe tape and the tool, and the improved tape severing means, the timerequired for preparing an automobile for painting has been greatlyreduced over the conventional time-consuming manual masking techniqueS.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent froma study of the following specification when considered in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the applicator illustrating themanner in which the pressure sensitive tape is dispensed from a supplyroll and is applied to a fixed surface;

FIGURE 2 is a right-hand end view of the applicator of FIGURE 1 with thesupply roll removed;

FIGURE 3 is a detailedelevational view of the other side of theapplicator of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIGURE 3 with thecutter element in the retracted position; and

FIGURE 5 is a bottom view of the applicator with the cutter element inthe tape severing position.

Referring to the' drawing, the tape applicator 2 includes a rigid handle4 secured to mend of a horizontal metal bar or frame member 6. Rotatablyconnected with the other end of the bar 6 on one side thereof are a pairof horizontal, longitudinally-spaced outer rollers 8 and 10. Rigidlysecured to the upper surface of the bar 6 intermediate the outer rollers8 and 10 is a vertical rod 12 upon the threaded .upper end of which ismounted a nut 14. Slidably mounted upon the lower portion of rod 12 is asleeve 16 that rotatably supports a horizontal inner roller 18 that isadjacent and parallel with the outer rollers 8 and 1t Coil spring 20 ismounted concentrically on rod 12 between nut 14 and sleeve 16 andcontinuously biases the sleeve downwardly toward the bar 6.

Secured at each end to the upper surface of bar 6 on opposite sides ofthe rod 12 is a generally U-shaped rigid support rod 24. On the sideremote from rollers 8, 1t) and 18, the support 24% is engaged by a rigidhorizontal rod 26 the center portion of which is secured to sleeve 16.The rod 26 cooperates with the vertical legs of support 24- to preventrotation of sleeve 16 on rod 12 and to maintain the inner roller 18parallel with rollers 8 and 10.

Each of the rollers is formed of a hard material-such as syntheticplastic, metal or the likeand includes at its free end an annular flange28. The rollers are journalled on bolts 29 that are threadably connectedat one end with the bar 6 and the sleeve 16, respectively. Preferablythe rollers are covered with a layer 30 of a resilient material, such asrubber, to effect frictional contact with the supply roll and the tapedispensed therefrom.

As shown in FIGURE 1, the hollow cylindrical tape supply roll 34 ismounted on the frame 2 by means .of the inner and outer rollers thatengage the inner and outer peripheries of the supply roll, respectively.Owing to the biasing action of spring Ztl, roller 18 is biaseddownwardly to continuously maintain the supply roll in engagement withthe outer rollers 8 and 19. At one end the outer rollers 8 and 10 abutthe bar 6 and the inner roller 18 abuts sleeve 16. The annular flanges28 at theother end of the rollers are spaced from the bar and thesleeve, respectively, a distance equal to the thickness of the tape.According 1y, when the supply roll is mounted on the frame as shown inFIGURE 1, the roll is supported between the inner and outer rollers onthe one hand, and between the flanges and the bar and sleeve on theother, whereby the roll is firmly maintained against lateral and axialdisplacement relative to the frame. Furthermore, the U-shaped support 24may be positioned adjacent the roller-supporting side surface of bar 6to afford additional lateral support of the supply roll 34.

Pivotally connected by pivot pin 36 with the lower surface of bar 6 is agenerally L-shaped cutter element 38 that carries at its free end aknife edge 40. The cutter element 3% is manually pivotable from aretracted position (FIGURE 4) to a tape shearing position (FIGURE 5) inwhich the knife edge 40 is adjacent and spaced from the outer roller 8.When the cutter element is in the retracted (FIGURE 4) position, theknife edge portion is housed within a protective sheath or guard 42 ofgenerally U-shaped configuration that i rigidly secured to the lowersurface of bar 6. As shown in FIGURE 5, when the cutter element is inthe shearing position, the knife edge 4'1) is arranged at an acute anglea relative to a line parallel with the roller axes. Cutter element 38 isbiased toward the retracted position by spring means 44. As shown inFIGURE 1, the cutter element is pivotable in a plane parallel with andslightly above the lower surface of bar 6.

Rigidly connected with the bar 6 on the side remote from the outerrollers is a lateral extension 46 having a short horizontal firstportion 46a, a vertical second portion 46b, and a horizontal thirdportion 46c. This lateral extension affords means for manually biasingthe frame downwardly to press the outer rollers 8 and 10 upon the tapeas it is applied to the work.

OPERATION Assume that the supply roll 34 is mounted upon the applicatorframe as shown in FIGURE 1 and that it is desired to apply the tape upona fixed surface 50 (for example, the chrome trim strip of an automobilethat is to be painted).

The free end of the tape is withdrawn from the supply roll 34 and isguided backwardly upon the outer rollers 8 and 10 (the adhesive side ofthe tape being directed downwardly toward the work). The operatorpresses downwardly upon handle 4 with one hand and upon lateralextension 46c with the other to cause the outer rollers to press thetape upon the surface 50. The tool is then drawn to the left (asindicated by the arrow in FIGURE 1) to progressively apply the tape tothe work.

During this application of the tape, the withdrawn tape length is guidedon the outer rollers 8 and 10 by the flanges 28. In the event that thedifference between the radii of the flanges 28 and the outer rollersexceeds the thickness of the tape, the flanges may be caused to engagethe lateral edge surface of the work and to accurately guide the toolduring its longitudinal travel. It is apparent that as the thickness ofthe supply roll decreases during the dispensing of the tape therefrom,roller 18 is displaced downwardly by spring 20 to maintain the outerperiphery of the supply roll in engagement with the rollers 8 and 0.Owing to the frictional engagement between the resilient roller coversurfaces and the tape and the supply roll, the rollers rotate abouttheir axes and the supply roll revolves relative to the frame as thetape is applied to the work during longitudinal travel of theapplicator.

While all of the rollers have been illustrated as being provided withannular flanges 28, it is apparent that in certain cases it may bedesirable to .omit the flanges from one or more of the rollers. Forexample, when the tape is to be applied to a portion of a surface spacedfrom the edge thereof, it may be desirable to omit the flange 28 fromthe forward pressing roller 10. In this event, the fiangeless roller mayconsist wholly of a resilient material, such as rubber, for efficientpressing of the tape upon the work.

Upon completion of the taping operation, the tool is displaced slightlyfurther to the left to remove an additional length of tape from thesupply roll, whereupon the tool is shifted to the right to form theadditional length into a small loop spaced to the left from roller 3.The cutter element is then pivoted to the FIGURE 5 shearing positionwithin the loop so formed, whereupon the tool is sharply drawn to theleft to effect severing of the tape by the knife edge 4%. Owing to theangular inclination of the knife edge, the tape is'progressively severedin the transverse direction by the knife edge during cutting.

It should be noted that the bar portion of the handle frame may beformed of suitable hard materials other than metal (for example, asynthetic plastic material, wood or the like).

An additional advantage resulting from the provision of the resilientcovers on the rollers is the enlarged deformable pressing surfaceavailable for uniformly pressing the tape upon contoured work surfaces.Futhermore, the flanges on the rollers insure that the tape edge isspaced slightly from the edge of the chrome trim strip being masked.Thus, the tape never engages the body surface, and upon subsequentapplication of the paint, the paint flows slightly beneath the edge ofthe trim strip as is desired to prevent rusting. Subsequent removal ofthe tape will therefore cause no peeling of paint from the automobilebody, and there will be no binding or tearing of the tape during removalthereof.

While in accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes thepreferred form and embodiment of the invention has been illustrated anddescribed, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variousmodificatrons maybe made in the apparatus described without deviatingfrom the invention set forth in the following claims. I

We claim:

Apparatus for dispensing and applying pressure sensit ve tape from ahollow cylindrical supply roll, comprising handle means including at oneend a horizontal rigid bar portion;

a pair of horizontal parallel outer rollers on one side of and rotatablyconnected with said bar portion, said outer rollers being normal to andlongitudinally spaced with respect to said bar portion;

an inner roller parallel with, intermediate and generally above saidouter rollers;

means connecting said inner roller with said handle means for verticalparallel movement relative to said outer rollers; and

spring means biasing said inner roller downwardly toward said outerrollers, whereby when the inner and outer rollers are placed inengagement with the inner and outer peripheries of said tape supplyroll, said inner roller maintains said supply roll in peripheralengagement with the outer rollers.

2. Apparatus for dispensing and applying pressure sensitive tape from ahollow cylindrical supply roll, comprising handle means including at oneend a horizontal rigid bar portion;

a pair of horizontal parallel outer rollers on one side of and rotatablyconnected with said bar portion, said outer rollers being normal to andlongitudinally spaced with respect to said bar portion;

an inner roller parallel with, intermediate and generally above saidouter rollers, at least one of said rollers having an annular flangethereon spaced from said bar portion .a distance equal to the width ofthe tape;

means connecting said inner roller with said handle means for verticalparallel movement relative to said outer rollers; and

spring means biasing said inner roller downwardly toward said outerrollers, whereby when the inner and outer rollers are placed inengagement with the inner and further wherein the difference between theradii of each of said flanges and the associated outer roller is greaterthan the thickness of the tape, whereby said flanges atfords means forguiding said applicator relative to the edge of the work surface uponwhich the tape is applied.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 and further including longitudinallyspaced vertically arranged roll support means connected with the uppersurface of said bar portion for laterally supporting the supply rollwhen said roll is mounted between said inner and outer rollers.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said roll support meanscomprises a rigid U-shaped element the legs of which are vertical andare connected at their lower extremities with said bar portion, andfurther wherein said means connecting said inner roller with said handlemeans comprises a vertical rod secured at its lower end to said barportion intermediate the legs of the said tape support, a sleeveslidably mounted on said rod, said inner roller being normal to androtatably connected with said sleeve, and means connected with saidsleeve and cooperating with said legs to continuously maintain saidinner roller parallel with said outer rollers.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 6 and further including an abutmentconnected with the upper end of said vertical rod, said spring meansbeing mounted on said rod intermediate said abutment and said sleeve.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, and further including a cutterelement pivotally connected with said handle means, said cutter elementincluding a knife edge that is movable from a retracted position remotefrom said rollers to a tape shearing position adjacent, generallyparallel. with, and directed away from the outer roller that is near estthe handle of said handle means.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said handle means furtherincludes a rigid horizontal extension normal to said bar portion, saidextension being connected with said bar portion on the side thereofremote from said outer rollers.

No references cited.

EARL M. BERGERT, Primary Examiner.

D. S. DRUMMOND, Assistant Examiner.

1. APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING AND APPLYING PRESSURE SENSITIVE TAPE FROM A HOLLOW CYLINDRICAL SUPPLY ROLL, COMPRISING HANDLE MEANS INCLUDING AT ONE END A HORIZONTAL RIGID BAR PORTION; A PAIR OF HORIZONTAL PARALLEL OUTER ROLLERS ON ONE SIDE OF AND ROTATABLY CONNECTED WITH SAID BAR PORTION, SAID OUTER ROLLERS BEING NORMAL TO AND LONGITUDINALLY SPACED WITH RESPECT TO SAID BAR PORTION; AN INNER ROLLER PARALLEL WITH, INTERMEDIATE AND GENERALLY ABOVE SAID OUTER ROLLERS; MEANS CONNECTING SAID INNER ROLLER WITH SAID HANDLE MEANS FOR VERTICAL PARALLEL MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO SAID OUTER ROLLERS; AND SPRING MEANS BIASING SAID INNER ROLLER DOWNWARDLY TOWARD SAID OUTER ROLLERS, WHEREBY WHEN THE INNER AND OUTER ROLLERS ARE PLACED IN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE INNER AND OUTER PERIPHERIES OF SAID TAPE SUPPLY ROLL, SAID INNER ROLLER MAINTAINS SAID SUPPLY ROLL IN PERIPHERAL ENGAGEMENT WITH THE OUTER ROLLERS. 